Homemade Wind Indicator Ideas Needed

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AirgunBill

Member
Nov 2, 2015
1,272
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Maryland, United States
I was out shooting pigeons today off the silos. I shoot from within my van and before I start shooting I take note of the wind direction and speed. Once in the van it is hard to tell when the wind changes direction and speed. I was wondering if anyone has some ideas for making your own wind direction indicators. The store bought ones are pretty expensive. Bill
 
We use wind speed and direction indicators (flags, windicators) in benchrest shooting. Some are home-made, others commercial, but they all work if reproducible and you learn to interpret what they are telling you.

However I don't see how to use a windicator for hunting. You would need a device in line-of-sight (up to a silo?), that is positioned properly and you have gauged to judge your hold off.

Experienced hunters should know how to judge windage. Maybe they read the movement of grasses and tree limbs, maybe other signs.
 
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get a roll of vinyl green garden tape and carry it with you. Tie a piece on your barrel and anywhere along your shooting area to branches, fence posts, etc. You can leave it and it does not look ugly or attract undue attention. It will be there for a year or two. Your wife probably has some in here gardening kit.

https://www.amazon.com/Thick-Stretch-Plant-Garden-Green/dp/B00DG75DS8 
 
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Stupid simple time. Does your van have an antenna? Get some orange marker tape and tie to antenna. Cheap enough to replace every time you go out and will flap mercilessly every time you stop to shoot. It also travels with you and repositions all by itself.
Click to expand...

Don't have antenna and from inside the van if I had one it would be hard to see being i'm shooting out the back side window . I figured an indicator of some sized placed out from my shooting position would be easy to see and monitor. I have used a bent paper clip with flagging tape on a stick before while shooting prairie dogs but was having to get up at times to get a good look at which way it was going. Bill
 
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We use wind speed and direction indicators (flags, windicators) in benchrest shooting. Some are home-made, others commercial, but they all work if reproducible and you learn to interpret what they are telling you.

However I don't see how to use a windicator for hunting. You would need a device in line-of-sight (up to a silo?), that is positioned properly and you have gauged to judge your hold off.

Experienced hunters should know how to judge windage. Maybe they read the movement of grasses and tree limbs, maybe other signs.
Click to expand...

I am shooting from a set position just like you are from a bench. If I can do a good job of judging the wind speed then input the other parameters into the app I should be fairly close. I think your experience hunters comment could be as easily use for experienced benchrest shooters should be able to wet their finger and hold it up in the wind to judge speed and direction. Bill
 
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Over the past 20 years, I've shot a LOT with .22's and wind really effects those rounds..
The same deal applies to our air rifle pellets, that said, I used to use wind indicators... 

Simple & Effective:

Take a plastic Zip-Tie, secure it around the end of the rifle barrel, 
and make sure that when it's tight, the slack is facing sideways [to the left for a right handed shooter]
That way, when you're shouldering the rifle / looking through the scope, you can see it.. 
Figure out how much length you like/need [shorter = better to keep it more rigid] Then cut the rest off..
Either use a drill, or heat up a little nail, and drill / melt a small hole in the end of the zip-tie.. 
Use a really fine string, tie a few knots in the 'top', and feed the rest through the zip-tie..
With it hanging down, you can figure out how much length you like / need..

You can use that as-is, or, you can attach other light things to the end of the string..
Ribbon / Tape / Maybe a crow's feather - Get creative.. haha

Super simple - Super cheap - Super effective!

🙂👍 

Sam -
 
Upvote 0
Over the past 20 years, I've shot a LOT with .22's and wind really effects those rounds..
The same deal applies to our air rifle pellets, that said, I used to use wind indicators... 

Simple & Effective:

Take a plastic Zip-Tie, secure it around the end of the rifle barrel, 
and make sure that when it's tight, the slack is facing sideways [to the left for a right handed shooter]
That way, when you're shouldering the rifle / looking through the scope, you can see it.. 
Figure out how much length you like/need [shorter = better to keep it more rigid] Then cut the rest off..
Either use a drill, or heat up a little nail, and drill / melt a small hole in the end of the zip-tie.. 
Use a really fine string, tie a few knots in the 'top', and feed the rest through the zip-tie..
With it hanging down, you can figure out how much length you like / need..

You can use that as-is, or, you can attach other light things to the end of the string..
Ribbon / Tape / Maybe a crow's feather - Get creative.. haha

Super simple - Super cheap - Super effective!

🙂👍 

Sam -
Click to expand...

Thanks to you and the others that have taken the time to answer. The issue as I stated above is that I shoot the pigeons from within my van. I think even if I would stick the barrel with the string indicator outside the window of the vehicle it could still partially block the wind giving a less than accurate reading. The farm yard is nothing but static structures and farm equipment and gravel so there is nothing there to read the wind off of. Of course of others have suggested I could just use some flagging tape. I was just hoping someone had made up a more visible and readable homemade benchrest style indicator that I could copy. Not much seen on youtube so far. Bill
 
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I work for the local phone company. I pick up the used utility company flags after underground work has been done. I also have hundreds of new discarded ones that maybe the phone numbers have been changed or the color has changed. I have them every 5 yards down my shooting lanes. I also have different color ones at different yards for bow hunting. Saves range finding too.
 
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Bill,

You're welcome. I just got a visual of what you'd be doing, and how the van could act as a bit of a wind-blocker..
What you'd have to do is read out/up - away from the vehicle, and have a clear line of site to the indicator 'flag'...

I was brain storming.. More like brain trickling as my brain doesn't function all that well.. haha

Anyways, if you have a roof-rack, or something where you could affix some small poles too, how's this?

Replacement-Tent-Poles?! Travel with them collapsed, snap em' together / extend them when needed..
Mount to the van so that the end is far enough away that the van isn't blocking any of the air-flow, 
and I think you'd be good to go..

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/VGEBY-Sections-Fordable-Replacement-Accessories/dp/B07BN8WDH9/ref=pd_day0_hl_468_4/141-0133340-6044534?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07BN8WDH9&pd_rd_r=c9b9b478-35c9-11e9-9f14-0518718f1dc0&pd_rd_w=cXEom&pd_rd_wg=lG44Y&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=N2XGBR7ZWP5QN5XX56EW&psc=1&refRID=N2XGBR7ZWP5QN5XX56EW 

There would be several different ways to mount, but off the top of my head, for speed, 
I know you can get hose-clamps that have 'thumb screws', so no tools even required..

👍 

Sam -


 
Upvote 0
Bill,

You're welcome. I just got a visual of what you'd be doing, and how the van could act as a bit of a wind-blocker..
What you'd have to do is read out/up - away from the vehicle, and have a clear line of site to the indicator 'flag'...

I was brain storming.. More like brain trickling as my brain doesn't function all that well.. haha

Anyways, if you have a roof-rack, or something where you could affix some small poles too, how's this?

Replacement-Tent-Poles?! Travel with them collapsed, snap em' together / extend them when needed..
Mount to the van so that the end is far enough away that the van isn't blocking any of the air-flow, 
and I think you'd be good to go..

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/VGEBY-Sections-Fordable-Replacement-Accessories/dp/B07BN8WDH9/ref=pd_day0_hl_468_4/141-0133340-6044534?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07BN8WDH9&pd_rd_r=c9b9b478-35c9-11e9-9f14-0518718f1dc0&pd_rd_w=cXEom&pd_rd_wg=lG44Y&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=N2XGBR7ZWP5QN5XX56EW&psc=1&refRID=N2XGBR7ZWP5QN5XX56EW 

There would be several different ways to mount, but off the top of my head, for speed, 
I know you can get hose-clamps that have 'thumb screws', so no tools even required..

👍 

Sam -

Click to expand...

Sam check out my latest pigeon shooting video. I made up a wind flag using a camera tripod I had on hand. It worked pretty good. I might refine it later or try something else. Just needed something to take out for todays Shoot. Bill
 
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